Month: June 2017

Want to know the secret to getting results?! CONSISTENCY. Yep. That’s it right there. That’s your ‘magic pill’ or ‘secret recipe’ to getting the results you have always wanted. Many people think they are consistent, when they’re not. When the progress they desire doesn’t come about, they will look elsewhere to blame. And this is where we see fad diets and short- term trendy ways of training protocols. A great place to start is writing down everything. Your weight and measurements, how you feel, your workout, your diet, vitamins you…

Most people hit the gym every day around the world typically in the pursuit of a few goals, either it’s Muscle Hypertrophy (Growth), Fat Loss, Increased Strength, or a combination of a few of these. Today we’re going to cover Muscle Hypertrophy & how to design the ideal workout. 1 – Use dynamic stretching & avoid static stretching pre workout Use dynamic stretching (stretching with movement) to avoid the strength loss associated with static stretching (hold a static stretch in one position). 2 – Start with a heavy compound movement….

Hack squats, performed on a hack squat machine, derive their name from the machine’s shoulder pads. “Hack” is a reference to the yoke placed around a draft animal’s shoulders, notes strength training journalist Frederic Delavier in “Strength Training Anatomy.” Hack squats primarily target the quadriceps muscles on the front of your thigh, as well as the gluteus maximus muscles of the buttocks. Hack Squats To perform a hack squat, step onto a hack squat machine and position your back against the machine’s back rest. Place your shoulders under the padded…

Issue #1: One big misconception about exercise is that you need to do abs exercises in order to get a six-pack, or even a stronger core. You can have a very impressive six-pack with a core as strong as steel by focusing on core, compound exercises like squats, dumbbell lunges, or deadlifts to name a few. Another option is using stabilization exercises like an advanced bird dog exercise that works not just your abs, but your balance, lower back, and even arms and shoulders. Issue #2: Frequently working abs can…

The chest is an area that often tend to lag on a lot of physiques out there. The fact is the majority of guys struggle in this area, despite your best efforts after hours and hours of lifting in the gym. The question you should be really asking yourself is if your approach is too one dimensional. On top of that you are probably making some common mistakes, like – Pressing through your triceps rather than squeezing through your pecs Too much shoulder involvement Moving the weight from A to…

Today we go over the different times of the day, and the different scenarios to perform cardio for optimized weight-loss. Afternoon after eating carbohydrates This would have to be the least optimum time of the day to do cardio, as you’ll be more likely to burn carbohydrates as your energy source rather than liberating fat storage. If there is sufficient glycogen in the muscle the body will always use that before eating into fat stores. Afternoon after not eating carbohydrates during the day This is much more preferable, essentially you’re not going to be…

Recent research has uncovered that certain veggies can deactivate myostatin, a protein that inhibits muscle growth. Huge Vegetarians Many gym goers, or gains enthusiasts would imagine the physique of a vegetarian to lie somewhere between your common desk ruler and Christian Bale in the Machinist. This image might not be tabu for long though, as a recent German study has revealed that vegetables from brassica family have a chemical called glucoraphanin that when ingested turns into sulforaphane that deactivates muscle growth inhibitors in your body. Essentially meaning that vegetarian bodybuilders…

HIIT training is a useful tool for most individuals trying to achieve any transformational fitness goal. So what exactly is HIIT? Simply, it means you will work at high intensity (such as sprinting/jog on a treadmill, stationary bike, rowing machine etc) followed by an interval of low-intensity exercise (such as walking at a slow pace) or complete rest. Some of the key benefits of HIIT are: Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption – Described as an increase in the rate of oxygen uptake which is designed to erase the oxygen debt after…

It is pretty safe to say that most peoples’ fitness goals are centred around having a muscular, lean physique. Getting to that perfect physique requires a lot of hard work and dedication. So here are 9 tips that outline the principles and keys to a successful bulking program. These tips can be used by everyone who is looking to gain muscle and perfect their physique. Pick Your Goal: Bulking or Cutting Unfortunately, there are a number of factors that make simultaneously building muscle while burning fat very difficult and unnecessary….